Random Rumblings

• As nice as it has been to see the Tampa Bay Rays finally put a winning season together, any realist has proceeded with caution when it comes to talking about the team’s chances of winning the American League East. The consensus seems to be that we can start considering the Rays a realistic contender on Aug. 1, but wins in their next three games might help that label appear a month early.
  
  The team has won five of six to move into first place in the AL East and will host the second place Red Sox for a three game set starting tonight. For the Rays, you could make the argument that this is the most important series the franchise has ever played, as it will undoubtedly set the tone for the second half of the season.
  
  The interesting storyline that could emerge from this season is that if the Rays can take two of three or sweep, they’ll be a couple games up on both the Yankees and Red Sox, who begin a four game series on Friday. That would force both New York and Boston into the unlikely position of needing to tread water in a tough division just to remain in contention.
  
  No it’s not August yet, but the next eight days will tell us a lot about Tampa and the rest of AL East for that matter.
  
  
• By no means do I consider myself a traditionalist when it comes to sports, but thank god interleague play is over.
  
  
• SportsCenter should start showing more highlights from all the top European soccer leagues. There might be very few things as boring to watch as 90 minutes of soccer, but there is nothing more exciting than the one or two goals scored in that span.
  
  
• Is anyone else shocked about the lack of coverage surrounding Javon Walker’s situation?
  
  
• When Kevin Love is a top five pick, you have an extremely weak NBA draft.
  
  
• The two may have nothing to do with each other but the question needs to be posed anyway: If an 18 year old can’t achieve a qualifying SAT score to play college basketball, what makes anyone think he’s got the head on his shoulders to move to a foreign country for a year to play basketball?
  
  And how well will Brandon Jennings be treated if he comes in and treats every game like an AAU showcase?